


Monster

by double_negative



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Gen, a bit of an existential crisis, also this is mostly talking and i am bad at writing talking, and questioning of self-worth, and quite heavy mind-reading, probably ooc as hell for that exact reason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 03:13:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20400724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/double_negative/pseuds/double_negative
Summary: Mantis gets a bit of a blues from not being considered human most his life.Liquid is there for him.





	Monster

**Author's Note:**

> I finally wrote something for them that can be counted as a ship fic, raise your glasses everyone!  
You don't have to read my other mgs fics, but I built upon them somewhat and I would be glad if you read them if you like Mantis.

Mantis always had trouble with sleeping. And when he doesn't sleep (he never does these days, too many nightmares and memories that are worse than nightmares), he is floating through the buildings of Shadow Moses, largely unnoticed until he is. And then it's all the same. Terrified screaming that wakes up half the staff, swearing up a storm and the poor night patrol guard has to take a week off until he stops shaking in his boots. And what did Mantis do? He just... was there. Like he usually is - lost in thought, absentmindedly, tiredly floating around.

People don't really like Mantis and he knows it. Hell, they barely tolerate him. He doesn't cut a really imposing figure with his emaciated body, nor he is particularly cruel with the soldiers (he mostly just ignores them, fucking with people has bored him to death since he was a teenager - too predictable), but he doesn't need to guess what Eli's people are saying behind his back. What they are thinking.

He's a "freak", an "abomination", and that he gets a lot, without even taking off his mask. A "murderer" is a common conclusion, funnily enough, as if they all are any better (at least he fights for an idea instead of being a hired gun.) No one in foxhound gets the same treatment. Ocelot is respected by everyone for some reason or another, the slimy old bastard. Wolf is considered too pretty to be "bad", no matter how callous she is. Raven is surprisingly popular with recruits who flock to him like animals usually do. And Octopus, well, he's their trump card so not many even know he's there.

The soldiers don't really know what Mantis is capable of, but they gossip anyways, some stories wildly exaggerated, some pale in comparison to what actually happened. His presence seems to weigh hard on everyone's psyche. Hell, Ocelot appears to be unnerved sometimes, and even if Mantis can't read his mind all that well, he can see it in his face and posture. There is no real proof to that until Mantis overhears him talking to Liquid though. "You don't know what kind of monster he is".

And it's amusing, because Ocelot of all people should remember - Liquid is the only one who actually knows Mantis. Granted, they drifted away in past years. Granted, the whole "assimilating a serial killer's personality" happened in that time. Still, he didn't change that much, did he? And Liquid, Eli with his big loud mouth would certainly say something, is about to say something, but he doesn't. Mantis is almost hurt when Eli doesn't protest, bites his tongue, shuts away the sentimentality Mantis so easily reads in his mind. Mantis is almost, because frankly, he's used to it. Not from the only person he could ever call his friend, but still. It's not Liquid's job to defend him, hasn't been since they were kids. And it's certainly not his job to absolve him of his undeniable sins some of which he witnessed himself, some of which he participated in.

It's not really about friendship or betrayal though, it just reminds Mantis of something else, something that followed him all his life. On this mission, he's just a tool. His part of the insurrection is not entirely his own, since he couldn't care less about the overall goal, doesn't exactly have a "motive", just like all those times before when he let himself be guided by others. Always the tool for someone else, something else. If he has to be a means to an end once more, he is glad to at least be serving Liquid this time. Liquid won't protect him, but that's because Mantis no longer needs that. He is more than capable on his own nowadays, since he no longer needs a mental link to someone to survive. And Liquid is smarter now, not so controlled by blind rage, so he doesn't need Mantis to pull him out of the hot water either.

Still, the bond between them exists. So when it all starts weighing on Mantis's mind too much, he goes to his childhood friend. "Your people think I am a monster" he tells Eli, bluntly, no hesitation, there were never secrets between them, not since they shared one mind.

"I thought things like these never bothered you. Since when do you care about what the grunts think?", Liquid sounds a bit incredulous, clearly surprised about getting any kind of emotional feedback from Mantis. Especially when that feedback is unease, discomfort.

"Well, I don't care." Mantis says, knowing that he can't exactly lie to Eli, he still tries anyway. Appearing composed, goal-oriented, not at all, not in the slightest bit insecure. "But I can see how I'm bad for morale. Which means I'm bad for the mission."

Liquid doesn't buy it at all, still he plays along, "Let me decide what's good and bad for my mission, Tretij", and if it wasn't for that name, Mantis could have chosen to believe the words coming out of Liquid's mouth.

"A low blow. Even for you, boss". Still, Mantis can't help but smile a little at his old nickname. And even if Liquid can't see it behind the gas mask, he offers a knowing smirk back.

"If they think you're a monster, let them. Better them to be scared than try anything", Liquid offers. His psyche for once isn't in turmoil of trying to supress his reactions, trying to pick an appropriate one. He speaks his mind almost as if a single name was the spell that broke down his defences, got through his mask of a perfect leader who's followers are entirely disposable.

Mantis kind of wants to tease him about that sentimentality, just to see how he would react, if he would see a glimpse of his old friend, so flustered at a simple suggestion of caring about anything, "Are you concerned about my wellbeing even when those are your people?"

A clear and immideate "yes" certainly isn't the answer that Mantis expects. Denial, anger, maybe even poorly-concealed shame. Eli would deny the importance of anyone and anything besides himself. Liquid is able to accept his feelings. Well, somewhat at least.

"Uncharacteristically sweet coming from you, Eli", Mantis continues to tease, to press on, because Liquid actually talking about it feels really, really nice.

Liquid averts his eyes, but his thought might as well be etched in fire in Mantis' brain, so it really does nothing. "I am always concerned about you. You of all people should know that", and it's true, waves of sincerity rolling off Liquid are enough to make Mantis dizzy. "Besides, if you're a monster, what does it make me then?", Liquid is smiling now, smirking actually, almost ruefully, that tiniest scrap of self-hatred stirring within him, maybe brought on by the remnants of their psychic link.

Mantis did want validation that he can admit now, he didn't want to bring Eli down with him, but a link works both ways. "Let's see. You got a psychic freak, a cryptic shaman and a shapeshifting... person at your disposal. So, that makes you a certified monster-tamer? The ringleader?". It's not the answer Liquid needs, but it's the one he will accept. Not like Mantis can actually offer him anything more meaningful than a bad joke.

Eli frowns, but takes it, plays along like he does only with Mantis, like he suddenly has infinite patience instead of a hair-trigger temper. "Funny you didn't mention Wolf. She may be more scary than all of you combined."

"Yes, the Ice Queen. And then there's also Ocelot. Not sure what he is though still". Mantis's disdain for the man doesn't have to be voiced, Eli picked up on that rather quickly. It didn't need to be spelled out, yet it still lingers continuosly on Mantis's mind, what the hell does that decrepit pervert is doing here anyway?

It appears that the link betrays Mantis again, because when Liquid raises his eyes, he's deathly serious, answering a question that wasn't really asked "An asset, Tretij. He's an asset. Everyone is. Besides you", and Mantis waits for an ending of that train of thought with bated breath, because while he can hear Liquid's thoughts running around at a mile per second, he needs to hear him say it out loud for once. "You're my friend."

Those are the words he haven't heard in a while, words he doubted he will ever hear again. So of course Mantis has to ruin it. Of course. Too much sincerity is bad for your health, right? "What good is a friend anyways?"

He expects Eli to frown, to evade Mantis's eyes staring him down from behind the lenses, but he doesn't. "Well, when your friend is really smart... and handsome. And also the most powerful psychic in the world..."

Liquid's thoughts are a mess. Just a whole jumbled chaotic wreck they used to be, but it's not unpleasant this time. On the contrary, from what Mantis can pick up, he gets trust, devotion, admiration even. How could he ever thought that Liquid would just be another person to use him and cast away. They shared so much, knew so much, meant so much to each other. Once. But they can do it again. And again if it doesn't work that time, until it finally clicks. Mantis can feel his face heating up behind his mask despite his best efforts, genuine praise from Liquid actually makes him flustered. Recognition feels so nice and there's something else that he doesn't dare to name.

"You're such a snake", he says, when he can finally find his words back in a loop of mental feedback. Such fuzzy feelings aren't for him, he doesn't really deserve them, but it's nice to know that someone actually cares. Actually tries with him.

"I am THE Snake", Liquid boasts and it's such a "Liquid" answer Mantis can't help but break out laughing. Liquid joins him of course. Everything that weighed on Mantis's mind feels even more stupid now, so minute in comparison to what they still share. What does it matter what others think? He's here for Eli, because Eli wanted him to be there, to help. And Mantis can't refuse him, not because he's a mindless tool in the hands of an unforgiving master, not because he's a monster on a leash obeying every order of it's tamer, but because someone loves him.

-

"And I don't care, just so long as he is a monster", Liquid says to Ocelot and the old man winces, almost as if struck by these words. Mantis can't help but feel a little smug because in Liquid's thoughts he can hear the actual meaning behind those words. They are monsters, all of them. There's no one who's better, no one with moral highgrounds. And after all, monsters can be loved too. Eli wouldn't have him any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> I promised you... Here it is finally. Next time I hopefully at least make them smooch.  
A couple of quotes directly lifted from the official MGS graphic novel because it ruined my life. And now with the MGSV in place and the fact that Ocelot basically lived with Eli and Tretij for some time, the novel's most painful piece of dialogue doesn't really make sense anymore. I tried to write it in, but it's just a small bit of inspiration mostly.  
Also. That bit from MGS1 when Liquid talks about Mantis's death? Never happened, fuck you, Kojima. They were boyfriends the entire time and cared about each other a lot and that's just how it is, babey!


End file.
